Machines for moulding of pulp, especially of fiber pulp



March 26, 1963 D. F. EDNELL MACHINES FOR MOULDING OF PULP, ESPECIALLY OF FIBER PULP Filed Dec. 9, 1960 DAN/EL F u-0 m EDA/ELL ATTORNEY 3,082,820 MACHINES FOR MOULDING F PULP, ESPECIALLY 0F FIBER PULP Daniel Fredrik Ednell, Ed, Sweden Filed Dec. 9, 1960, Ser. No. 74,845 Claims priority, application Norway Jan. 5, 1960 1 Claim. (Cl. 162404) Articles formed from pulp, especially from fiber pulp, fiber suspensions and the like, have today extensive use in the form of egg-cartons, flowerpots adapted to be immersed in the soil together with a herb, and in the form of other articles which, however, are rather loose and have only little resistance to mechanical stresses. The object of the invention, therefore, is to provide such an arrangement in the machine producing such articles, that the articles, if desired, may be prepared as hard articles, that is articles substantially more compressed than previously manufactured articles. The possibility of such a manufacture is especially important for refractory articles prepared from a fiber pulp containing asbestos, and as an example of such an article may be mentioned small funnels to be inserted into the filling-in opening of sand moulds, adapted to prevent e.g. that molten iron distorts the area around the filling in opening when the casting operation takes place.

In the previously known machines the amount of fiber pulp necessary for the formation of the article was drawn onto a perforated or grid-like outer or inner mould member, and in many cases the article so obtained will be ready for use without further forming or treatment but if necessary a further treatment of the article may consist therein that the article is further compressed between the two mould members in order to remove still more moisture; but by such compression the formed fiber pulp will not be enclosed within a closed space and the compacting to which the article is subjected will thus be limited.

In the case of articles manufactured from refractory masses the compression necessary for expulsion of the liquid will be considerably higher than in the case of cellulose pulp, and the compacting of the pulp must take place in a closed space so that no parts of the pulp can leak out, and in the present invention the so-called inner mould member of a machine having two relatively movable mould members is provided with a nose which extends at the front end of the mould member and is adapted to cooperate with the filling-in opening of the corresponding outer mould member, so that said opening is closed at once when the inner mould member is started to move.

The invention thus relates to an improvement in a machine for moulding or forming of pulp, especially of fiber pulp, comprising a compression arrangement consisting of an outer and an inner mould member, which are movable relative to each other, so that pulp enclosed between said mould members may become compacted and freed from moisture, and the invention is substantially characterized thereby that the inner mould member is provided with a nose adapted to cooperate with the filling-in opening of the outer mould member, so that the nose will close the opening during the first part of the movement of the inner mould member.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is characterized thereby that the nose comprises a cylindrical main member and a conical pointed end, which together form an extension of the inner mould member, and according to still another feature the filling-in opening may be provided with an axially displaceable lining or ring, the dimensions of which fit the nose of the inner mould member, and which upon axial displacement there of may eject the article after the latter has become suitably compressed.

United States Patent 0 3 ,082,820 Patented Mar. 26, 1963 ice The drawing diagrammatically illustrates an embodiment of the invention, where FIG. 1 very simplified shows a section through the most important parts of a machine of the type in question, the parts being in position for the filling-in of fiber p p;

FIG. 2 shows the same parts and details as in FIG. =1, but the outer and inner mould members are in position for compression of the pulp filled into the shaping space of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 shows the same parts as the previous figures but in the positions of the parts after a ready formed article has been expelled from the outer mould member.

.In the embodiment shown on the drawing the device comprises an outer mould member 1 and an inner mould member 2, of which at least the inner mould member is perforated or in any other manner so constructed that liquid may penetrate therethrough, e.g. consists of a wire gauze or the like. The inner mould member 2 may be moved towards and away from the outer mould member 1, e.g. by means of a hydraulic drive 3 comprising a piston rod 4. A guide 5 maintains the inner mould member 2 in correct position, and the inner mould member 2 may be provided with piston rings tightening against the guide 5, so that a chamber is formed into which fiber pulp is introduced through the opening 7 by means of a supply tube 8, which may become pinched when the inner mould member is advanced towards the outer mould member, to the position shown on FIG. 2, by means of the driving means 3. in order that the desired amount of pulp shall be enclosed within the chamber 6 without the possibility of escaping when the compacting takes place, the inner mould member 2, according to the invention, is provided with a nose 9 which preferably is cylindrical and provided with a conical tip 19. The cylindrical portion of the nose fits exactly the filling-in opening 7 and thus, during the first part of the movement of the inner mould member 2 closes the opening 7 so that fiber pulp cannot escape from the space 6; accordingly the correct amount of fiber pulp is in every instance compressed to form arti cles having uniform properties.

if desired it is possible to insert into the opening 7 an axially displaceable lining or ring 11 having an internal diameter corresponding to the external diameter of the nose 9.

When the compacting of the pulp has taken place, as indicated on FIG. 2, where for instance Water flows out through a conduit 12, the article 13 now formed, e.g. a funnel for the purpose above mentioned, should be removed, and the outer mould member 1 is raised at the same time as the inner mould member 2 is lowered to the initial position. A support 14 is then introduced below the outer mould member 1 and is automatically or manually so displaced that the ring or lining 11 ejects the produced article 13. The articles made ready are transferred for eventual further treatment, eg polishing if such treatment is considered to be necessary.

The embodiment shown only serves to illustrate the invention and does not limit the same, since also other embodiments than that shown are conceivable; e.g. the outer mould member 1 may very well be perforated so that liquid may penertate also here, but such one and also other embodiments fall within the scope of the invention if between the inner and the outer mould member there is provided a shaping space which is closed by an extension of the inner mould member as soon as the inner mould member has started to move.

I claim:

The improvement in a machine for moulding articles out of pulp by the movement of inner and outer members toward each other with pulp to be compacted therebetween which comprises, an inner mould member, an outer mould member, said mould members being provided With mated mould surfaces, means for moving said members toward each other, guide means for guiding said members in their movement toward each other, said outer mould member being formed with a filling opening at one end thereof, a displaceable ring movably mounted and seated Within said opening and lining the same, a reduced nose having an initial portion cylindrical in cross section carried by said inner mould member in advance of the mould surface thereof, said cylindrical portion of said nose being formed to seat Within and close the opening through said ring and a conical entrant tip formed at the free end of said cylindrical portion to guide said nose into a said ring, said movable mounting of said ring in said opening in said outer mould member for providing for axial movement thereof for ejecting the article produced, on completion of the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

